This invention is concerned with an automatic voltage controller that is particularly useful for the continuous control of the potential of precipitation electrodes in an electrostatic precipitator.
It is known in the art, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 3,577,708 to Drenning et al, to reduce the input energy to the electrodes of an electrostatic precipitator in the event of sparking. However, such prior art systems have the disadvantage that the electrode potential can vary in the absence of sparking. Until such current-responsive systems do spark, they are non-responsive to the decrease of potential of the electrodes, which is widely variable because of corona discharge.
It is therefore the primary object of the present invention to provide an automatic controller for the electrodes of an electrostatic precipitator which is responsive to variations in the potential of said electrodes.
It is also an object of the present invention to provide such a controller that is simple, is flexible in use, and can be easily interfaced with existing precipitator power supplies.